The Ross Report

[WrestlingPower]

I had heard as well that Tony had distanced himself from wrestling to the point of refusing to talk with fans about it. Glad that seems to not be the case any longer.

[victory]

I just listed to the 2 part Sting interview. Geez is Ross getting annoying with the interrupting. I want to give this podcast up, but he does have some interesting upcoming guests.

[UKWildcat]

I just listed to the 2 part Sting interview. Geez is Ross getting annoying with the interrupting. I want to give this podcast up, but he does have some interesting upcoming guests.

To be fair: in the Bubba Ray Dudley and Tony interviews, its much better. The Sting interview was just embarrassing.

[pantherwagner]

I really enjoyed the Schiavone interview. Ross was less grouchy and interrupted the guest much less than usual so that was good. I also skipped his starting and ending monologue as I tend to do with him and Cornette. Tony was great and I'd like to see him being interviewed by Austin.

[JerryvonKramer]

I really love Tony. I think the stuff about Heenan was revelatory. Has Schiavone ever done a shoot before? I think he was remarkably candid here. Honest about himself too. Never knew he was such a big fan either, but if you think about it came through in his announcing.

[BigBadMick]

During the WCW Tag Title match at Spring Stampede 99, Tony seemed to get nostalgic for southern style tag wrestling and was happy to see it's application with Benoit/Malenko v Raven/Saturn. Also, he spoke very fondly of Windham's early days and rapid progression as a worker during either the SuperBrawl or Uncensored 99 tag match.

These two quieter, less hyperbolic moments from Tony in 1999 suggested to me a love of old school Crockett wrestling and a hint of dismay at the product he was trying to push at the time.

[Loss]

There was always a special excitement from Tony when he was calling something from Flair, Steamboat or the Rock & Rolls. I agree that that's the era he loved.

[JerryvonKramer]

I think Tony on Ross came across more or less identically to the Tony we know from years of commentary: sincere, honest, hardworking, a company man, puts his family first, loved the NWA, completely burned out and tapped out by the end of WCW.

 

What really struck me was the lack of any real difference between the real him and his on-air personality. He more or less wore his heart on his sleeve -- on reflection, it's really obvious when he did and didn't care. The story about the "$1 million for a viewer" deal was quite funny.

 

I thought another of the quite revealing things was the story about him crying after leaving the WWF. I guess it says a lot about WCW if the one guy who is completely synonymous with the place says the best year of his career was in New York -- it's weird, Flair says almost exactly the same thing. And I don't think it's because -- as cynics might argue -- they are kissing ass or trying to get a job. I think it's because WWF was a well-run operation and WCW was a shambles.

[Loss]

Tony as a WWF lifer would have been interesting. I think they loved him there too.

 

While I think we know on some level, we'll probably never be able to fully comprehend how dysfunctional WCW was.

[BigBadMick]

One other thing about Tony - was anyone else thinking 'Hi Tony, instead of defending Heenan's right to trash you, pick up the f***ing phone and call him!'?

[Loss]

Maybe Bobby is an asshole and Tony has no desire to talk to him for that reason, but he didn't want to publicly insult him either.

[Loss]

One of my favorite Tony stories by the way is that he had the same surgery Dave Meltzer had shortly after Dave had it. Dave said he got a lot of calls from wrestlers wishing him well which he enjoyed so he wanted to call Tony and do the same. When he called, Tony hung up on him.

[Matt D]

Tony doesn't strike me as a brave man, but he's a guy I sort of like.

 

I could see another season of Fargo with him in the Martin Freeman role.

[BigBadMick]

Maybe Bobby is an asshole and Tony has no desire to talk to him for that reason, but he didn't want to publicly insult him either.

But then, nothing he said makes any sense.........

[JerryvonKramer]

I can kinda relate to Tony on that though, I'm absolutely terrible at keeping in touch with people and sometimes it gets to the point where it would seem almost intrusive to do so.

 

I was going "meet" my old college mate from New York the other day for a talk on Skype, but I had to go out and so bounced it, and said we'd re-arrange, but then haven't got round to it, despite Facebook being right there. And we have no beef. Now I've said this I'll probably make an effort, but the more usual thing would be to let it drift. A week goes on. A week after. Soon the idea of the call becomes a distant memory.

 

But I'm not really a phone guy. If a friend phones me, sometimes I'll just leave it ring because the idea of taking it seems like an ordeal. I don't like just "having a chat" over the phone. Do I look like a girl to you? If there is no purpose to the call, I tend not to like it. Tried to change this a while back, but have now reverted to type. Can't do it. I'll talk to my mum or my girlfriend on the phone, but not to my mate. If I see someone every day in work, or in a regular thing, it's a bit different. But if they've moved away, I see a call as a massive "to do", and basically would rather not.

 

If Tony is like that, and he seems like he is, you can see how he might not pick up the phone.

[BigBadMick]

Well why didn't he just say that then?!

 

[FakeDiesel]

Overall the best episode of the Ross Report as I find him to be overbearing most of the time.

[shoe]

The podcast kinda had the feel of them

calling a show together where both contributed to the podcast.

[Lust Hogan]

We got Good JR again this week. A very enjoyable show. I didn't realize Hansen had that much respect for Dr. Death. There were a few times Ross tried to talk over Hansen but wisely backed down and it made for a great interview. Just like last week's show it seems like it would be better in two parts.

 

Next week.....Vince Russo!!

[cpst]

JR just about came in his pants when Stan Hansen started talking, completely unprovoked, about how heels need to get heat and not secretly want to be cheered.

[BigBadMick]

Yeah, it's a pity JR still crowbars in his rants, even when Hansen said he doesn't watch today's product.

 

Great interview, but I felt like it only scratched the surface. I'd love to hear Hansen speak more extensively about Japan, but an interview like this always seems to lean back on generalities.

[Lust Hogan]

Good JR......bad Russo. JR seemed to really be prepared but Russo was very long winded and told the same stories he told on Austin's podcast. To JR's credit he did ask about TNA but Russo said he couldn't talk about it. JR also seemed to ask more direct and pointed questions when he could but Russo took forever to make his point.

 

 

Next week......Bill Watts!!!!

[BigBadMick]

Prediction - Now there's a man that'll steamroll over the interview, say whatever he feels like saying, not listening to a word out of Ross's mouth.

[Lust Hogan]

Ross mentioned that Watts was "cantankerous" during the interview so we'll see.

[Cobra Commander]

Ross mentioned that Watts was "cantankerous" during the interview so we'll see.

as opposed to non-cantankerous moments with Bill Watts.

 

So, if Watts just steamrolls over the usual JR schtick, the interview will be better, right?